Performing Arts

Local playwright, actor, UVA drama lecturer, and wellness coach Denise Stewart is on a sugar fast. “I’m on day four because I thought it would be interesting and fun and maybe something to blog about. It’s already hard,” she said. But not as hard as the 30-day raw food fast she did earlier this year. […]

Take a moment to remember what you were like at age 16—whether it was learning to drive, passing a chemistry test, or finding a date to the prom, you probably felt like you had your hands full with the basic American rites of passage. Well, 24 high school juniors and seniors are about to make you […]

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust—a series of church burnings sets UVA Drama’s new season in motion with Marcus Gardley’s acclaimed 2010 play Every Tongue Confess. Weaving Biblical lore with the true history of a small Alabama town, this Southern spectacle also mixes gospel and blues hits for a soaring metaphysical journey. Director Theresa Davis […]

Despite being a ballet company, there are no tutus or relevés in this celebration of movement by the Latin Ballet of Virginia. You will find dazzling costumes and acrobatics mixed with the electric flair of Latino dance in a high-energy performance that celebrates Central American traditions. [...]

Big laughs come out in small spaces when improv is the stage—at least that’s what Smallprov sets out to accomplish. The Big Blue Door comedy gathering focuses on powerful bursts of wit rather than long-winded monologues. The brief skits are unrehearsed and based entirely on audience [...]

If a high seas adventure delivered in iambic pentameter isn’t enough to get you off the couch, then maybe the added splendor of seeing it performed on an authentic Shakespearean stage—in the same manner that the bard himself would’ve produced—will get you searching for your shoes. Staunton’s [...]

If you’re looking for some movement that challenges the monotony of modern dance, then take part in the Lindustrial Revolution, a three-day dance fest that celebrates the glamor and freedom of ’30s swing. Hosted by a core of expert dancers determined to get you hopping with instruction in two [...]

It’s time to get your evil on, or at least enjoy the sound of evil as your favorite Broadway baddies and Disney villains display their wickedness through song. Play On’s musical revue Now That’s What I Call Evil brings together the most vile characters from the screen and stage for a single [...]

Now in its 50th year of production, Fiddler on the Roof has seen eight consecutive seasons on Broadway, nine Tony Awards, and countless audiences. In the capable hands of Ash Lawn Opera, the classic musical continues to deliver an iconic score, a well-loved story and timeless depictions of [...]

If laughter is truly the best medicine, then the L.Y.A.O. Comedy Showcase is sure to heal all of your ailments with three doses of the area’s top comedic talents. Headliner Louis Katz doesn’t mind diving into the cruder side of the human experience, and joining him is the quick-witted and [...]

As the month of August arrives, everything slows down a bit. Outside, we drown in the humid air, dense as an ocean wave pushing against flesh. There’s little to do but laze away in air-conditioning or spend hours floating in the cool waters of a swimming pool. It’s the time of year when I used [...]

Grab some torches and pitchforks and prepare for Shrek: The Musical, when an ogre-turned-hero braves dragon fire and a tiny king to save his beloved Fiona. As Shrek adventures with his faithfully frustrating sidekick, Donkey, storybook creatures, and a musical score, an expert cast recaptures [...]

Tight improvisation, audience participation, and sharp-tongued hair dressers deliver new twists every night in Shear Madness, the longest running nonmusical theater production in U.S. history. Set in a unisex salon right here in town, the American adaptation of Paul Portner’s slapstick whodunit [...]

“That sounds great, Leah,” a passing stage hand calls. “Are they going to let you use that in the show?” “No, but I wish,” Leah Partridge shrugs, then laughs. The strangely ethereal combination of the banjo, Partridge’s sweet soprano voice, and her sandals tapping the floor as she moves [...]

Edmond Rostand’s classic French farce, Cyrano de Bergerac, satirizes the overly romanticized literature of the 1600s in the tale of an eloquent, talented, and brave young man whose unfortunate rhinophyma prevents him from garnering the love of the beautiful Roxanne. The plot twists hazardously [...]

In a world where over-the-top productions dominate entertainment, it’s nice to find a theater company that relies on talent and imagination. Such is the mission of the Missoula Children’s Theatre. The Montana-based troupe hosts a cast comprised entirely of children grades 1-12 who share all of [...]

When Charlottesville’s tough and determined ladies go head-to-head in battles of the bicep you get CLAW—the Charlottesville League of Lady Arm Wrestlers. Next up on the wrist warriors’ docket is Hot Claw in the Summertime. Borrowing from roller derby and the eccentricities of the pro wrestling [...]

Call out a suggestion and watch epic comedy unfold when Big Blue Door’s improv comedy team The Lady Pills tackle the Harold. Developed by actors Del Close and Charna Halpern in the ’80s, this longform improv game forces comedians to create and weave narratives on the fly, rapid-firing scenes [...]

John D’earth was about 4 when his father—“a great listener, but not a musician”—taught him an important lesson about making music. He was at his grandmother’s house. He toddled over to the piano, climbed onto the bench, and started pounding away. He was having fun, just enjoying the noise of [...]

Richmond-based comedian and self-proclaimed syllogist Corey Marshall shares the stage with the area’s top jazz players at the Comedy With a Taste of Jazz series launch. Hosted by the United Nations of Comedy, the series harkens back to the Harlem Renaissance and the jazz era by offering a [...]

When he’s not cradling a tearful Will Ferrell in Elf, comedy legend Bob Newhart is stirring up laughs with his offbeat, deadpan stand-up routine. Famous for his relaxed delivery and subtle wit, the comic explores universal moments of the human experience and shines a light on the ridiculous. [...]

Forgo the late night reruns of your favorite variety shows for Bent Theatre’s wacky, unpredictable live improv comedy. Established in 2004, the dynamic ensemble of 25 comedians group offers a distinctive mix of styles, drawing from “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” “Saturday Night Live,” and “Second [...]